Park Woo-jin, formerly of Wanna One and AB6IX, chose his signature strengths over forced novelty [Star On-Site] [Comprehensive Report]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Singer Park Woo-jin returned by developing the charm he had originally excelled at.

A showcase commemorating the release of Park Woo-jin's second mini-album, 'Solstice (SOLSTICE),' was held on the 13th at X-Cala in Hyeohyun-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul.

On that day, Park Woo-jin shared his thoughts on returning to the stage: "Even though I am not usually one to get nervous, I felt a bit tense. It is my first solo showcase, and since it has been a long time since I last performed, there was pressure, so I had mixed feelings because I wanted to do well. This is my first media showcase since my debut. It has been six or seven years. I am nervous, but I will try to have fun."

He continued, "I always want to show a new side with every album, but this time, while a new look was also good, I wanted to show more of who I already am. I wanted to reinforce the image of what I do best and what I myself find cool." He explained the focus of his new album.

'Solstice' is a new release approximately one year and five months after the single 'Cool & Hot,' released in April of last year, and it is the first album he has presented since joining his agency, Paramusic. Under the title 'Solstice,' which refers to the moment when the sun reaches its extreme point in the year and the seasons change, the album captures Park Woo-jin moving toward new possibilities on a path he chose himself, based on the experiences he has accumulated so far.

In this process, Park Woo-jin expressed through music an attitude of accepting the anxiety and worries he faces as part of his growth and expanding his territory in his own way.

The title track, 'STAMINA,' is a track filled with confidence and courage to constantly challenge beyond limits. With Park Woo-jin's mid-to-low voice added, it conveys the power to move forward tirelessly toward what one loves and one's dreams.

Park Woo-jin debuted as a member of the boy group Wanna One, launched by Mnet's 'Produce 101' Season 2 in August 2017. After his contract ended, he returned to his original agency, Brand New Music, and re-debuted as a member of AB6IX in May 2019. However, his contract with Brand New Music also ended in May 2026, and the group effectively disbanded as most members transferred to other agencies. Park Woo-jin signed with Paramusic last June. Paramusic is a label under Brand New Music.

With a new home, how did his surroundings change? Park Woo-jin said, "Many things have changed, and I tried to change many things as well. Since we were working together for the first time, there were times when our coordination was off or we didn't mesh well, but that led to fresh and new elements coming out, which I think was a good thing." He expressed satisfaction.

He also shared various experiences gained from two group activities. "The influence has been enormous. Debuting with Wanna One and being in AB6IX itself was a huge experience for me that I could not afford to miss or lose. Although it was very short, during my time with Wanna One, I experienced almost everything there is to experience. It was a good time because, going forward, I can base most of my activities on the experiences I had then." He added, "AB6IX also helped me a lot as we accumulated musical, team, and scheduling experiences through long-term group activities."

He did not forget to mention Wanna One either. When asked what support the Wanna One members had given him for his long-awaited solo comeback, Park Woo-jin said, "Not that many members did," but added, "It just came to mind. I saw Hyung Ji-seong talking about me on the radio yesterday."

He stated, "He mentioned my comeback and praised me. He recommended something. I don't remember it well. I probably didn't watch closely. Still, I felt good that he congratulated me on my comeback. He is truly a leader." He showed special affection for Yoon Ji-seong.

The question followed: "If the Wanna One members had offered congratulations, what kind of support would they have given?" However, Park Woo-jin laughed and said, "Even among men, we are so close that I think we understand each other's hearts."

As a rapper, he showed a lack of confidence in his vocal skills. When asked about his significantly improved vocal abilities through two team activities and solo work, Park Woo-jin said, "I have no confidence in my vocals. It is a skill that comes out with repetition in the recording studio."

He continued, "It is not yet a skill I am confident in, but thanks to the support of fans, I want to show as many sides of myself as possible. If I only showed the dance and rap I was confident in since I was young, wouldn't there be no growth? Wouldn't it be good if I overcame my own limits and created something new by doing things well even if I am not naturally good at them? For me, vocals are a challenge in that sense. I don't know when it will happen, but if my vocal skills improve dramatically and I become good at them, I want to show the charm of being 'someone who is good at everything.'"

'Solstice' was released at 6 p.m. on the 13th on various online music sites.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original